Let the dance begin
For Spike the battle seemed to pause only for a moment, but for the rest it seemed a lot more like a small eternity.
The constant back and forth dance of the two was interrupted when Zecora used one of her potions to create a thick and rapidly expanding purple mist, concealing herself.
“Sneaky Adanna. But it is not the first time you used this on me. I only need to keep my guard up for two minutes before it will vanish.” Kirabo thought.
He was tense, his knees were bent, and he was standing on all fours, preparing to react to whatever Zecora would throw at him. From time to time his left eye would twitch and it would become a little shinier, but the shine would fade as quickly as it came.
Spike tried to focus, using his new eyes to pierce the purple smoke, but except for what could best be described as a small dim spark that appeared from time to time only to disappear a moment later he saw nothing. Imamu on the other hand saw everything.
Zecora was circling Kirabo waiting for the perfect moment to strike, while he had no idea where she was and what she was doing.
The more Zecora waited the tenser Kirabo became. Almost two minutes passed and Zecora still had made no move.
“Why hasn’t she attack me yet? What is she waiting for?”
Since Kirabo was engulfed in the smoke he was constantly on guard, but seeing that Zecora did not attack he decided to intentionally drop his guard a little leaving himself open to a few attacks, she did not take the bait.
“Maybe I need some bigger bait.”
He dropped his guard completely, raising both his hands to his side in a cross shape.
“Come and get me.”
Zecora was not stupid, she knew all too well that this was a trap and that Kirabo awaited her attack, but time was running out and the smoke was almost gone. The trap was so evident but the bait was so juicy, so she decided to risk it.
She pulled her staff from between her back and the strap that connected the saddlebag. She wobbled until she stood on two legs and placed the staff underneath her left foreleg, pressing it against her torso. With a hit from the right one and using the left one for guidance she spun the staff around her chest like one would a hula hoop or a barrel ring.
With the movement of her hooves and upper body the staff began picking up speed. As an added bonus the circular motion also helped to stabilise her making it possible to walk on two legs.
Some ponies could do that for limited amounts of time, but Zecora needed time to get used to this new body before she could do that. Time she had precious little of.
She walked closer towards Kirabo and hit him on the right side of the head with the spinning staff. Before he could react and move to the side Zecora changed the direction of the staff and after repositioning herself hits him from the left, straight in the armor. She was hoping to get his arm but it did not matter as she changed the direction again this time heading for another blow to the head.
The first shot was free, Kirabo had no way of knowing what the attack would be and where it would come from. This time was different, he knew what was about to hit him, and he could guess where. Using his forearm he blocked it, but without any armor the bone took the full force of the blow.
Again Zecora moved and turned the direction of the staff rotation before attempting to land a hit to the left part of his skull. And just like before Kirabo guessed where Zecora would strike. It was an educated guess, but a guess nonetheless. He lifted his guard up preparing to receive another hit, that was until an idea popped into his head, and a quick plan was formed.
Zecora still had a few seconds of smoke cover left, just enough for a quick hit, before using another potion on him. She attacked expecting him either to duck or, like before, block it with his forearm. She did not expect however what Kirabo did.
It was another one of those I know you know I know moments. He let his guard fall and used his right hand to grab the staff mid hit.
Immediately after the staff touched his palm he knew what he had to do. First was to grab the staff and stop it before it hit his head, then simultaneously pass the dagger from his tail to his hand, and move towards the other end of the staff, using it to locate Zecora. The plan went perfectly. Now, with dagger in hand and his target in sight he could attack, a swift stab between the ribs and it would all be done.
“But she would be expecting that.”
So instead of doing the obvious thing and stabbing her, he decided to do something else.
As soon as Kirabo stopped the staff grabbing it with his hand she knew he had her location. An attack would be imminent, a swift stab from him with his last dagger directed at her exposed abdomen would make him victorious, so she prepared to grab his arm as he trusted, twist it and make him drop his knife. She did not expect however to first receive a headbutt right in the snout, followed by said stabbing. With blood gushing from her nose and her head knocked back she had no way to grab his arm before he could stab her. So she had to improvise.
She tried to block the blade with her golden bracelets, using them like armor. This was partially successful. The metallic bracelets managed to protect her body, and they did took the brunt of the hit, but unfortunately the blade managed to slid between two rings and dig into her leg.
The ground shook again.
Moving her injured leg downwards she managed to break the part of the blade that was deeper than the bracelets, about one third of it was not gone.
“Quality weapons my red...”
His train of thought was interrupted by a swift knee to the chin, almost biting of his tongue. They both backed away and spat some blood.